Florence M. Conrad

AIKEN, SC -- Burial services for Florence Marie Mason Conrad of Aiken will be held on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 1:30 PM at historic Bethany Cemetery with The Reverend Dr. George K. Howle officiating. Mrs. Conrad died Sunday, March 25, 2012 at her residence. Born in Syracuse, NY on October 18, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Fred and Genevieve Canfield Mason of Syracuse and Aiken. She was preceded in death by her sister, Millie Smith. Mrs. Conrad was in the field of education until she retired to Aiken in 1980. She attended Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia. She graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in fashion merchandising and taught for several years in the retail department of a State University of New York (S.U.N.Y.) college in Utica, New York. She subsequently was awarded a graduate fellowship in Student Personnel at Syracuse University where she earned her master's degree in higher education. She held administrative and counseling positions at the University of Colorado, S.U.N.Y. College at Geneseo, NY and retired professor emerita from S.U.N.Y. Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY. She was awarded several recognitions from faculty and students and after retiring, received a citation from the National Association of Women Deans and Counselors for her leadership and service in education. She was a finalist for the S.U.N.Y. Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service. Flo was proud of her Christian heritage and was blessed with wonderful, enterprising parents whom she deeply loved. She was pleased that she followed them to Aiken 17 years after they retired and enjoyed meeting new friends, many through her church and organizations to which she belonged. After moving to Aiken the highlight of her life was meeting her beloved late husband, Alex, and was happy to become a part of his family. She enjoyed keeping in touch by letter of telephone with friends living in 23 states, many of whom were former students. She also loved animals and nature. She was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church, Aiken Newcomers Club, Aiken Alumnae Panhellenic, Gem Lakes Organization of Women, Town and Country Club and CSRA Miniature Society. She had been a volunteer for ACTS and Aiken County Historical Museum Gift Store. Mrs. Conrad is survived by nieces, Linda Kemple of Centreville, VA and Barbara Grey (Bruce) of Baltimore, MD, her grand nephew, Neil Kemple and grandniece, Laura Grey. Also surviving are her husband's daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Bob Rapp of Aiken, three grandchildren, Patrick (Kimberly) Rapp of Aiken, Alex (Davis) Rapp of Pendleton, SC and Marci (Grant) Eddy of West Columbia and six great-grandchildren, Colton and Lauren Rapp of Aiken, McKain and Wesley Rapp of Pendleton, and Robert & Evelyn of West Columbia. Memorial gifts may be made to St. John's Inez Crain Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 809, Aiken, SC 29802, ACTS, 240 Park Ave., Aiken, SC 29801, Aiken SPCA, 401 Wire Rd., Aiken, SC 29801 or to Molly's Militia, P,O, Box 6816, North Augusta, SC 29841. Please visit the online guestbook at www.shellhouseriversfuneral home.com. SHELLHOUSE - RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Florence M. Conrad, please visit our flower store.